Do-Over Week 1: Getting Ready

Setting aside what I’ve done so far in ten years of researching my family connections is only the first part of Week 1 of this genealogy do-over. The next step is to prepare for research by figuring out what tools and methods to use. A research log is an obvious necessity, something I have used in various formats over the years, but never consistently. There are dozens of examples available online, but the one I like and have adapted is from Thomas MacEntee, prime mover of the do-over.

The third tool is a map of my own. I have seen various checklists to apply to research on individuals, so I wanted something concise that would help me cover all of the significant avenues I could explore for each person in my tree. Here are the top level categories that came to me for a first draft. What have I missed?